CITY MOTOR TRAFFIC

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 148, 26 June 1925, Page 15

CITY MOTOR TRAFFIC

i ■ „.-.■ •■■■.- Matters of interest to motorists who do much driving about the city were discussed -M a special meeting of the Wellington Automobila Club's executive committee last week. As a result representations will be made to the CityCouncil in the direction of securing certain reforms. One of the most important of theso will be a suggestion-that the council should set up a traffic committee. The volume of traffic in the city is now reaching.;-.' such proportions " that some very considerable changes 'will be necessary to.meet the position, and the present Bylaws Committee of the council has not the time to give the matter tho ■ amount of consideration it requires. ! -Both the council and the dub are i fully alive to what .is required. Ono of the greatest difficulties at the moment is that of parking-places. The Wellington motorist has been used to parking his car within a minute or so of his office, but the prospects are that; this .privilege will .not .last for long. The number of cars is such that the traffic is increasing every day, and the parking of cars in many of the streets is causing more and more congestion, while the number of complaints from business premises to the effect that their en-, trances are being blocked is increasing— with some justification. The club intends to circularise its members tasking that particular care should be taken to cause as little complaint as possible on this score. "....' ■ PARKING PLACES! ■/ The probability, is.that as sooh;as the bylaws can ; be revised and the whole position of parking gone into, one big parking-place will be provided for along the waterfront.-This possibility is'one of the. few bright spots ,in the traffic problems./ of.; the city.. A::,parking-plac6 in this area would,.provide for several hundred cars, and; is as near to the business centre as can reasonably be expected. '.'■...: „" '. |-, The'vexed question of lighting cars on parking: places was mentioned, and • everyone present was of the . view that, j this was quite; unnecessary, and .even .ridiculous. In the meantime action was deferred pending the announcement of ; the.new.motor ■ regulations.: These regu? lations in draft form are nearing completion, but- have been delayed by matters having: to be discussed 'at a conference of -the Minister, local , bodies, ; and' the motor unions.: The- draft will j then be' submitted to' local bodies and I the -motorists' organisations,, and, if ' necessary, ; the .motor organisations will 'take action to secure necessary provisions ; or. deletions. ;,:At present"... any action taken against owners for leaving cars 'unlighted is taken by the police. The Wellington City Council .is one of .the bodies that has appreciated the foolishness of asking that cars be left ■ lighted on such parking;places,as. are specially " suited to cars; being, left unlighted, especially; v when, on these parking places, ! cars are left with' the • very smallest, light; arid are at right-angles to the :line of traffic, so that the lights cannot be '"- seen. ■ ■..".-: ■.■ '; • ■.■■-,■'":":■ '. ■■-."'.'..'; :,. •■;..■../■■,-..•■ ■■' V PEDESTRIANS. ;■ The ' position of pedestrians': was another matter discussed, and concerning '-, which the club will bring certain" aspects; before tho council with a view to new; bylaws. One _of the objects, more especially in the. busy streets, will.be to ■ eliminate the very . dangerous 1: method , of; crossing ; a street known as "jay" j walking, in. other crossing -".a j street at other than a right angle. The j proposal will; be that, in the more coni gested streets white lines; of a perrnan■j.eiitj.- character should be laid* at right '■■-.■anglesl across,the streets, and that ped- ' f.strian. traffic will be forced to .cross at these places. Such.a step would enable -..the traffic,; authorities, to '. control the traffic better, while the risks, to pedes■trians, under the present system, of go-as-you-please will be largely eliminated. It will also be suggested, that islands for, waiting tram-car passengers in the streets; are'dangerous, and should not be adopted in Wellington, except, in' cases where, the: roads are sufficiently wide.? A place where it is suggested that one should be installed is at.the.Government Buildings traan-stopj" where people., wait all over the-road, and there is a constant danger.- . The proposal is. that these islands when laid out should be made in" white concrete, : and not raised above the level of the street.' . ;. In connection with loads, such as piping, • which project over the back of motor lorries, the club intends to take action to make it compulsory for a red ; rag to be attached to the end of the load in day time, and a red light at night. It was stressed that there, was a greater need for lights on slow vehicles such as horse-drawn vehicles, than on fast-moving ones, and this matter will also betaken up with a view to securiug regulations; on the subject. Some time ago the City Council put out a number of "silent" policemen in Wellington,, but these .have now been removed. , The club intends to'advocate that in : place 01 these, at certain congested corners, a small bright yellow dome should be placed in the centre of the .crossing,' to-.direct traffic. These could contain a light for use at night, and in the event of being struck' by a' motor vehicle, would cause no dania^